Jewel & Esk’s friendly and approachable staff across the college are here to help you, giving you the confidence, knowledge and skills to develop and succeed in your chosen career.
The tutors in the Learning Support Team are experienced in supporting students with:
• Physical disabilities
• Visual impairment
• Learning difficulties
• Mental health or medical problems
• Hearing impairment
• Specific learning difficulties eg Dyslexia, Dyspraxia
We can meet the support needs of many students with appropriate study skills guidance. However, some students have particular challenges that require specialist support.
If you have particular needs you will be offered a specialist assessment leading to a Personal Learning and Support Plan, (PLSP). This sets out the forms of support that you will have access to throughout your course.
Support can include occasional or more regular meetings with a member of the support team to help directly with aspects of study. More information on support in specialist areas is given in the sections below.
Technology is playing a bigger role in meeting additional support needs and the support team can arrange for specialist equipment for use in College and for loan for use at home.
If you are on Higher National course you may qualify for the Disabled Students Allowance to purchase necessary equipment to help you with your course. Our team can give advice and guidance on making applications.
Whatever your concern, it is important that you make contact as early as possible. You can do this through Student Services by e-mail, phoning 0131 344 7163 or in person at either campus, or you can contact one of the support team directly by telephone or e-mail.
The College makes provision for students with physical disabilities in a number of ways. The Edinburgh and Midlothian campuses have a range of building features to facilitate access for wheelchair users. Disabled parking is available at both campuses, as are disabled toilet facilities.
If you have a physical disability, we can offer you the following services:
• regular meetings with a support tutor for assistance with course work and study skills;
• ergonomic seating and other support aids may be available;
• specialist equipment;
• specialist software;
• assistance with photocopying, materials preparation etc;
• technological aids to record notes; and
• special assessment/examination arrangements.
We have excellent provision at the college for students who have difficulties with their sight. Visually impaired students can access information via a computer by the use of speech software. For students with some sight, computer technology allows students to maximise what sight they have by enlarging print or altering the colour and background of the screen. Computers with this assistive technology are available at both campuses.
If you have difficulties with your sight you can be offered support in a variety of ways:
• material for your course can be provided in a form appropriate to you;
• we can teach you to use the computer, using speech and magnification software;
• CCTVs, laptops, scanners which convert text to speech, and other visual aids are available for you to use;
• we offer regular meetings and support from a specialist tutor;
• we will liaise with other lecturers; and
• we will make special assessment and examination arrangements.
Study at college can be challenging for many students, especially if it is some time since your last experience of formal study. Often, a few brief sessions of Study Skills can set you on the right track to making a success of your studies.
However, some students may find that there are areas of study - perhaps in Core Skills - that continually give you difficulties. The support team may work with Core Skills lecturers in class to support groups of students but can also give individual support to students with such general difficulties in discrete, one to one meetings.
Mental Health or Medical Problems
If you have a mental health or medical problem, you may find that your condition or medication can make study at college problematic. Planning and organisation of studies can be particularly difficult.
The support team can offer discrete discussion and guidance to support you in your studies.
The College can provide a range of services and forms of support to students who experience difficulties with their hearing who are either oral or BSL users. A member of the support team can offer qualified note-taking, lip-speaking and sign language up to Level 2 BSL to students on mainstream courses. In addition, there is a range of technological aids available, including personal loop systems, individual radio aids and pagers.
Apart from practical help with courses of study, the support team can also provide regular meetings with a specialist tutor for advice and guidance.
Specific Learning Difficulties
Dyslexia is the most well known specific learning difficulty but there are also other challenges to learning such as dyspraxia, dyscalculia, attention deficit disorder etc.
You may already be aware that you have such a difficulty and may have had a formal assessment carried out while at school. Or you may have a suspicion that you are dyslexic but have never had your difficulties investigated.
Several of the support staff are specialists in dyslexia and can carry out screening and needs assessments to determine appropriate support. In addition, screening for scotopic sensitivity can be carried out.
If you have dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties we can offer you the following services:
• regular meetings with a support tutor for assistance with course work, study skills and discussions on other areas of difficulty;
• guidance on the interpretation of formal assessments;
• loan of specialist equipment;
• specialist software and training;
• assistance with conversion of notes to 'friendly' fonts or alternative formats;
• proofreading of assignments;
• coloured overlays; and
• special assessment/examination arrangements.
Please feel free to contact any of us for more information or advice.
Maura Bertram - Learning Manager
(Additional Support Needs)
0131 344 7405
mbertram@jec.ac.uk
Norman Ritchie - Curriculum Leader
(Learning Support)
0131 344 7430
nritchie@jec.ac.uk
Fiona Bell - Lecturer
0131 344 7404
fbell@jec.ac.uk
Geoff Mainwaring - Lecturer
0131 344 7422
gmainwar@jec.ac.uk
Amanda Reynolds - Lecturer
0131 344 7429
areynolds@jec.ac.uk
Joan Rowe - Lecturer
0131 344 7431
jrowe@jec.ac.uk
Eleanor Symms - Lecturer
0131 344 7433
esymms@jec.ac.uk
Julie MacRitchie - Learning Assistant
0131 344 7435
jmacritchie@jec.ac.uk
Jewel & Esk College Associates & Partners:
